The Gujarat Assembly passed the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026 on March 2026 after a seven-hour debate, introducing a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships across communities, with certain constitutional exemptions.

Bullets

• Gujarat Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code Bill through a majority voice vote after a marathon seven-hour discussion.
• Gujarat becomes the second state after Uttarakhand to adopt a Uniform Civil Code framework.
• The law aims to create a uniform legal system for marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships across religions.
• The code will apply across Gujarat and also to residents living outside the state.
• Scheduled Tribes and protected customary groups are excluded from the law as per constitutional safeguards.
• The bill mandates registration of live-in relationships and defines a formal process for their termination.
• Bigamy is prohibited; a person cannot marry again if their spouse is still alive.
• A marriage will be legally valid only if neither partner has a living spouse at the time of marriage.
• The bill was introduced by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel after a state panel submitted its final report.
• The government described the law as a step toward a unified legal framework based on constitutional principles.